“Stop thinking,” the petite Vietnamese nun instructed the small group of retreatants. We sat cross-legged in a circle on the floor in the enormous meditation hall at Magnolia Grove Monastery in Batesville, Mississippi. Our minds are always running, running, running, she explained. We can feel consumed by the endless chatter of our thoughts.
Her words resonated with me. Early in my first term as department head, and later in times of intense challenges, I noticed my mind replaying, reviewing, and processing work issues even while I was doing something completely different. This happened during the workday, and it also happened on my time, in the evenings or on weekends. I needed rest. I took action to reclaim my mind and my life while continuing to be productive at work. In this article, I share several approaches that were useful to me.
Leading with Compassion in the Face of Grief
Content warning: This article contains mentions of bereavement experiences, including loss of a parent.
When my mother passed away unexpectedly at the age of 67 this February, I could
Rebecca Pope-Ruark
November 20, 2023
